You're my Valentine sweetheart Always and forever
by IndianSummer1995
Summary: The first time she was his Valentine sweetheart it by chance. The last time it was through fate. / Eight times their relationship changed or was changed. / Hiccstrid / Modern AU / A Valentine's Day story I meant to finish a week ago. T because of curse words.


So this is actually a Valentine's Day story, but time and life decided to be a little bitch that kept me from finishing this piece of...whatever.

About the story: I decided to pick eight years of Valentine's Days in the life of Hiccstrid in an alternative universe. Basically, we have eight chapters all mostly fluff (at least I wanted it to be mostly fluff), and a bit of angst thrown in.

* * *

**The letters**

It had started when they were little and their class teacher decided to let everyone draw a person, who they should write a Valentine's Day letter to.

Of course, Snotlout gloated how he would draw Astrid and how it would be the best letter ever. He thought it inevitable for Astrid to fall in love with him.

However, fate decided to meddle a bit with the turn of events and Snotlout had drawn Ruffnut, a blonde girl with a habit of getting in trouble with her twin brother. As if it wasn't enough, Ruffnut's hair smelled like fish oil and both twins were the weirdest persons in the whole city of Berk. Snotlout hated it and cursed the person who had drawn the fierce blonde.

But who _had_ drawn Astrid? Who would be the unlucky person to face Snotlout when he found out who wrote a letter to his crush?

The answer to that is very simple: another boy who had a _small_ crush on Astrid Hofferson. Okay, that was a lie. Hiccup Haddock had a huge crush on her and deemed the terrifying blonde the prettiest girl to walk on the whole planet Earth.

Hiccup had really thought about just playing sick and thus escaping all this trouble. Nonetheless, he stayed and written her a letter, because no matter how much she scared him, he hadn't wanted her to be the only one not receiving a letter. Also, she was pretty smart and if she had figured out that he should have written her, Hiccup would get hurt. _Badly_.

After they were done writing, they gave their teacher the notes. In the last lesson of the day, every boy and girl got a note. Something, that would, hopefully, make them smile and laugh.

Nothing could have prepared Hiccup for the surprise waiting inside the note written for him. He'd expected a standard 'You're very nice' or 'You're clever', maybe even an insult.

But the 10-year-old Hiccup hadn't anticipated this:

_Dear Hiccup,_

_I know we aren't very close. Well, I don't think we've ever actually talked at all, but I don't need to talk to you to know what kind of person you are._

_You are a brave, kind and intelligent boy. No matter what, you always back up your friends and stand by them. And you have a big talent for art (don't even try to deny it, I've seen your drawings). What I'm trying to get to is for you to stay the way you are._

_\- Astrid_

Hiccup read the note...no, letter about a thousand times and still couldn't believe it. Astrid Hofferson wrote something so profound and honest that his brain kinda short-circuited.

He sat still on his seat, not moving, while his brain was racing on a hundred miles per hour.

Suddenly, the boy was snapped out of his trance when a small hand landed on his shoulder.

"Hiccup? Are you okay?" Blue eyes looked concerned at him. Astrid leaned forward as if she could sense his problem that way.

"Astrid. Hey. Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid." Her confused staring shut him up very quickly. "What?! Yeah, I'm fine. Great, actually."

She still looked a bit suspicious but chose to let slide. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for your letter. It was wonderful." Before he could respond and thank her, she moved forward, gave him a peck on the cheek and walked away.

That was the way their friendship started.

* * *

** Best friends**

Three years later Hiccup was walking back home. He was whistling to himself when he was tackled from behind. He fell on the ground with the added weight of his backpack and whatever knocked him over.

"_Ow_. What the hell?!" His outcry was muffled due to the fact that his face was pressed against the asphalt of the pavement.

"Oh, Gods. Hiccup. I'm so sorry. I didn't think I would take you down." A long, blonde braid waved in his limited field of sight.

"_Astrid_?! As much as I'd like to talk to you, would you mind getting off my back?" Slowly, but surely breathing was getting hard. Especially when someone was sitting on your back.

"Oh, right. Yeah, sure. Just wait a second." Hiccup could feel her shuffling around before she got off him. And a moment later he was turned on his back and being able to breathe freely again.

The boy looked up at his friend and cracked a smile. "What is my best friend doing here, anyway? This isn't the way back to your house." He put his hand in her outstretched one.

She pulled him up. "Well, I wanted to ask you if you would do me the honor of helping me destroy all the crap your cousin gave me."

"_What_?! Why can't you be a normal person and like Valentine Day's gifts? Huh?" He was getting annoyed by her weird Valentine Day's traditions.

"Well, I see it this way: Snotlout is weirding me out and you're his cousin. So, like this, I can get revenge on him."

"Wow, your logic makes no sense. _At all_." Hiccup laughed until she shoved him. "Hey!"

"You're mean..._Maybe I just wanted to spend time with you_." She mumbled her second sentence.

"What was that? I couldn't really understand that last part." He smiled as he teased her.

"_You little sh_-"

He cut her off. "Wait! Listen!"

"_What_?!"

"_Shh_!"

And all of a sudden, there was a little meow. Nearby in the forest.

"What is that?" Astrid whispered, their prior conversation forgotten.

"I don't know. Follow me!" Hiccup started walking toward the source of the meow.

As they reached the forest, they could see a small, black kitten with curious, green eyes. When Hiccup stepped on a twig and it snapped, the cat turned its head and hissed at them.

The Haddock boy hesitantly tiptoed forward while motioning Astrid to stay back. "Hey, bud. You're okay, we're not going to hurt you." He came closer and saw that the poor cat was missing a paw. And it was still bleeding like hell. "_Shit_." Slowly gathering the kitten in his arms, he told Astrid to get something to wrap it around the cat's leg.

"Is my scarf going to work?" She already pulled it off her neck and held it in his direction.

He nodded. "Put it around."

"Hiccup, what are we going to do now?" Astrid was scared for the little guy.

"We have to take him to my mum, she'll know what to do. But we better run."

They ran, Hiccup cradling the black bundle, in the direction of the Haddock household.

Hours later, after Hiccup's mum, a vet, looked at the cat, there was the remaining question who the frightened, little thing belonged to.

Valka grumbled something about cruelty to animals and gutting persons who are practicing that.

Astrid was baffled. "Did your mum just talk about _gutting_ people?!" The thirteen-year-old normally only knew the kind and forgiving Valka Haddock.

Hiccup sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that...She's pretty unforgiving when it comes to animals." He chuckled.

"What about the kitten, Hic?" She didn't want it to end someplace as bad as before.

"We're gonna keep Toothless."

"_Toothless_?! Are you serious? How did you get to that name? Wait, do I even _want_ to know?"

The boy shrugged. "He didn't bite."

On that day Hiccup found his best animal friend.

* * *

**The accident**

Two years later, on the day, Hiccup was walking with Astrid after school. Once again destroying every evidence of Snotlout's adoration for her on this day of love. And if he was being honest, it cut his heart the way she always erased any trace of affection. It constantly reminded him that she would probably crush his heart, should he ever confess his feelings for her. Should admit his love, crush and fondness for her. And he couldn't take that.

As they discussed the preferred method of destruction for this year's gifts, they were about to pass a pedestrian crossing, when Hiccup noticed that his one shoelace had opened.

"Go on, I'll catch up."

She stared at him incredulously. "Hiccup, it's a shoelace. You'll take three seconds, not five years. I'll wait."

He chuckled, _of course_ Astrid was going to wait. She was Astrid after all.

As he straightened up, Astrid was happily skipping over the crosswalk.

Still smiling and shaking his head, he watched her hopping around like an eight-year-old.

However, his smile died really fast as he saw the car driving down the road. And it didn't look as if it was slowing down.

But Astrid didn't take notice of it. She was still laughing and grinning.

The last thing the boy remembered was running towards his friend in a desperate attempt to save her life.

Nonetheless, that wasn't everything Astrid remembered. The confusion of Hiccup running to her, of him pushing her away, the shock of the car hitting her best friend and seeing the car drive away as if nothing had happened. All that was _burned_ into her memory. Even more prominent on her mind was the sound of Hiccup's _bones_ _snapping_ and the smell of _blood_. She was only glad that other people were there because she sure as hell couldn't think straight.

She was there when the ambulance came, rode with him on it and waited in the hospital when the Haddocks came in asking about their son. She vaguely recalled Stoick sitting next to her, his seven feet height a weirdly comforting presence, Valka hugging her and stroking her hair while she was in shock. The red-haired woman soothed her even more after everything sunk in and she cried her eyeballs out. But the most important thing to her was sitting by his side when he opened his eyes after surgery.

Everything was black. Hiccup was stuck in the darkness and couldn't see nor hear anything. After a while though, a beeping came through into his mind. A constant beeping that was antagonized him to no end.

Some time later, he regained his senses and looked around him. Only to be met by the most beautiful set of eyes. A certain shade of blue that outshone everything in contrast. Although, right now they were clouded with worry and shed tears.

"Hiccup, hey. How are you feeling?"

He tried to speak but only a croaking sound came out.

Astrid got a glass of water and helped him drink it.

"Better?"

"Yeah, thanks...What happened?"

Astrid looked sad again. "Uh, you remember the car that was driving too fast? Anyway, you saved me by a _very_ ungraceful tackle." She let out a teary chuckle.

Only then Hiccup realized that he couldn't feel his left leg below his knee. "Ast, why can't I feel my left leg?"

The girl across him looked down and started to cry.

"_Astrid_?"

"The doctors did everything they could. I understand if you hate me now. I hate myself too."

"Astrid, I could never hate you. What is it?" He grew more worried by the second.

She looked up at him. "They had to amputate from your knee on...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'd do it again if I had to." All of a sudden he had an armful of crying blonde.

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't-"

"_Shh_. Don't blame yourself, I don't blame you. Okay?"

She nodded and the next thing he knew Astrid's lips were pressing against his. She was kissing him. Before he could react, she was gone again.

"Hiccup?"

"_Hmm_?" His mind was fried. _Yep, definitely out of order_.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?"

"I think I love you."

"_What_?!"

Hiccup realized that he had just blurted out his feelings. _Shit_.

"You _think_?!"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said-_wait_. Come again?" She was confusing him so much.

"I _know_ I love you, you dork."

Hiccup Haddock was officially dead.

He may have lost a limb on that fateful day, but he had gained so much more. He had found love.

* * *

** Sleeping over and breakfast**

They had been in a committed relationship for about three years now and still, Astrid hadn't spent a single night over at Hiccup's place. He could understand that she wouldn't want to sleep under the same roof as his parents.

Valka and Stoick Haddock were the noisiest parents in the world (Hiccup's opinion, so obviously it didn't count). They were always gushing around about how cute Hiccup and Astrid looked together, about how sweet it was of Astrid to be there every step of the way after their son lost his foot and of course they were going on about how adorable children the young couple was going to have. That particular point always got both Hiccup and Astrid blushing (although, Astrid insisted his parents were cute and since her opinion was the only one that counted, Hiccup couldn't get his parents to shut up).

However, Hiccup moved out about two months ago. And since his girlfriend was at his place most of her time, you'd think she would have slept over at least once. No, she didn't and it was beginning to freak him out. Was there something wrong with him? Did he say something stupid? Did she even want to be with him anymore?

_Aannd welcome back, self-insecurity issues_. Oh, how he'd missed them.

He was slowly getting insane from his own thoughts, insecurities. That was until Valentine's Day in the morning.

It wasn't uncommon for Hiccup to fall asleep with the blonde in his arms and to wake up without any trace of her. But on Valentine's Day, he woke up with a mass of blonde hair tangled next to him. Taken aback, he could do nothing except stare. Alternating between his girlfriend and his alarm to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

That was until the teenage girl stretched next to him. As she looked around, searching for him, and smiled drowsily at her boyfriend, Hiccup was pretty sure he fell in love with her all over again. "Hi, you there."

"Hey, you too."

Astrid kissed him before jumping up and putting his shirt from the previous night on. "I'm gonna make breakfast."

Hiccup hummed in consent up to the moment he understood what exactly she was saying. "_Wait_, Astrid! You and kitchens don't mix together very well!" He reached for his boxers and pulled them on then stood on his remaining leg in order to reach his prosthesis.

A few minutes later he was walking into his kitchen but it was too late. A smell that could have been classified as biohazard was already poisoning the air.

Hiccup stepped behind the blonde and gently pulled her away to seat her on a barstool.

"Babe, what are you _doing_?" she asked as the brunette boy threw her "cooking" into the waste.

He turned to look at her. "Milady, I love you but...how can I express this nice? You can't cook to save your life. At least not without food poisoning."

There was hurt written all over her face and she looked as if she was about to cry.

_Fuck_.

"Sweetheart, look at me." Her blue eyes bore into his green ones. "Honestly, this is gonna sound ridiculous. I love that you can't cook." A disbelieving glare. "Really. It makes cooking for you even more fun, to see that look in your eyes when you taste something for the first time and you like it so much, you unconsciously let a moan out, that's the best thing about cooking for you."

Astrid wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." He slowly leaned in and kissed her with all his heart.

When he pulled back, he let his forehead rest against hers. "You know, for the last week or so I thought you didn't want to be with me anymore." He chuckled.

Astrid's eyes widened in shock as she pulled abruptly back. "_What_? Why?"

"It's nothing, really. No particular reason."

"No, we're talking about that **now**. Why did you think that?" She was becoming more and more agitated.

"Well, you always left before dawn and I just figured that you didn't want to see me anymore because you were trying to find a way to break up with me without crushing my heart to a million little pieces."

Astrid touched his cheeks with her hands. "I kinda wanted to make that first time spending the night here special." She needed to rid him off all his insecurities about her feelings for him. "Hiccup, babe, I could never break up with you. That would be like trying to cut out my own heart and expecting to live on after that. It just wouldn't work. Do you understand?"

He nodded. "I understand."

"I love you, even with all your insecurities." Astrid smiled.

"I love you, even without cooking skills." He laughed as she shoved him.

Hiccup may have his uncertainties and they may never go away, but on that day he learned that he could always count on Astrid to talk sense into him.

* * *

**Moving in**

Five years later Hiccup was standing in the same apartment, in his kitchen preparing a meal for Astrid. As he was cooking, he thought back to the last five years of their life.

Chuckling, he remembered how every time Astrid was staying over at his place he somehow, miraculously, was always late for college. And because his girlfriend never had lessons as early as he had, she eventually had to throw him out of his own apartment. Which was _ridiculous_.

Or every time Astrid broke into his apartment because she left her keys somewhere (somewhere was actually her purse. At least most of the time.). One time was especially nerve-racking:

_It was winter and thus Astrid was wearing her thickest clothes, which happened to be all black. It wasn't helping that it was night and the blonde girl was trying to break into his apartment with her bobby pin. His neighbor, an elderly lady with insomnia, was awake, saw Astrid trying to let herself into his place and of course, called the police._

_Some might ask why Astrid didn't just ring the doorbell and all this wouldn't have occurred. Well, the thing is...Hiccup had to help his dad in his repair shop before heading home. When he got home, he was met by the sight of his girlfriend in handcuffs arguing with the police. He was convinced she was this close from headbutting one of the officers._

_"I'm sorry, what's going on here?" He asked as he came closer._

_"Excuse me, who are you?" An officer eyed him suspiciously._

_Hiccup looked down at himself, he was still wearing his riding gear from his bike._

_"That's Hiccup, my boyfriend! He lives here!" Astrid was definitely getting agitated again. He nodded in agreement_

_"This lady claims that she is your girlfriend and denies trying to break into your apartment, although she was caught red-handed by your neighbor."_

_"Yeah, this is my girlfriend, my apartment and yes, she wasn't trying to break into it. She probably left her keys somewhere again." He threw a scolding look in her direction._

_Unaware of Hiccup's glare, Astrid nodded, having a 'see-I-told-you-so' look on her face._

_The policemen still looked unconvinced until Hiccup got his own keys out, unlocked the door and showed the policemen a framed picture of Astrid and himself._

_"By the way, why would I cover for a woman I don't know and just tried to break into my apartment? Please, just uncuff my girlfriend." He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose whilst arguing with the police._

_They were finally convinced and unlocked the cuffs before apologizing and bidding their goodbyes._

Back in the here and now Hiccup shook his head. He finished putting together the dinner he prepared for his love and himself.

He heard a key being turned in the lock and smiled. "Just in time."

The man walked out of the kitchen, watching his lover taking off her coat and shoes with a fond smile. "Move in with me."

"Hi, to you too." Astrid grinned at him.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Hi, Milady. Move in with me."

"Okay."

"Come on, think about it. It's way more - _wait_, what?! Did you just agree?!" He was shocked. He acually had expected to have to talk her into it.

"Yep. Now, where is that pasta I was promised?" She wandered into the kitchen, where the warm plates still stood.

Hiccup chuckled. "I'll never figure that girl out."

Astrid yelled from the other room. "I heard that! And I _hope_ you won't figure me out. I still have to hold on to _some_ of my mystery!"

"Man, I love that crazy woman in my kitchen." He muttered to himself.

"Heard that. I am not crazy! By the way, I love you too."

This Valentine's Day Hiccup learned that he would never know what would happen next with Astrid by his side. And her unpredictability made him love her even more.

* * *

** A proposal gone awry**

When they were 25 years old, Hiccup decided to give into his parents (and her parents) pestering and propose to Astrid. However, this turned out to be a little more complicated than anticipated. Hiccup didn't know how to propose to Astrid. Yeah, he could've done that 'get down on one knee and give a heartfelt speech' thingy but Astrid was a whole different kind of girl. She wasn't so much into beating around the bush when it came to...well, anything. She was more into clear and direct facts. The blonde didn't like romantic very much except for special occasions and only, only when she and Hiccup were alone.

Hiccup crossed off anything big and too public since he hated being in the center of attention.

So, he decided to take a quick stroll through the park with his girlfriend. Just a simple walk, maybe some flowers and definitely his grandmother's engagement ring.

Now he only had to wait for his beloved to come home and persuade her to go for a walk in the nearest park, which was only a block away.

An eternity for Hiccup later, Astrid unlocked their door and began chattering happily with him.

"You know, I think this is the first time all of our moving boxes are open and unpacked. We took nearly an eternity to finally finish moving into this apartment. By the way, have you sorted through all our DVDs? I thought we could do a movie night. We could watch all the animated movies we possess."

And all of a sudden Hiccup felt every bit of nervosity leave his body. _This is what I want for the rest of my life. I want to come home to this for the remainder of my days_, he thought. "Yeah, I sorted through. Although, why don't we take a stroll through the park? I'm pretty sure with all the snow still lying, we could take some pictures."

"Or we could do a snowball fight. I like your thinking, babe." Astrid grinned. "Let's go." She was already putting her coat and gloves back on.

He laughed at her eagerness. "I just need to get my coat." Because he knew Astrid, Hiccup left his jacket in their bedroom along with the ring.

The blonde yelled from the hallway: "Since when don't you leave your jacket in the hallway anymore?"

"I..._umm_...I-I was busy."

"Don't you mean confused?", came the reply.

"Anyway, let's get going." He deliberately ignored the question.

In the park, Hiccup was always on the lookout for a bench to sit on to ask his love to become his wife.

But, apparently, it showed since Astrid eyed him suspiciously. "Are you okay?"

Hiccup tensed up. "What? Who? Me?"

Astrid's response was a raised eyebrow.

"I'm great...Why wouldn't I be?...You know, why don't we sit down at this bench? I think my leg's beginning to act up."

Immediately, all suspicion was wiped from her face and was replaced by concern. "Yeah, of course. Do you wanna lean on me?"

"No, thanks. I think I can manage." He smiled at her.

As they sat, Hiccup turned to play with Astrid's fingers. A small thing to distract him from the possible outcome. From the possible heartbreak.

"Astrid, I wanna talk to you about something. Since we're both 25 years old -"

"Well, you're technically only six and a quarter years old."

"_Anyhoo_, we've known each other for over -"

"Theoretically, is it even _legal_ for me to date you? I mean, you're 19 years younger than me. At least on paper.", she wondered.

_"Astrid!_ I'm trying to ask you to marry me and you keep interrupting me!" He blurted out his plan. And it shut her up. "I just wish I could start this over. I had that whole 'romantic speech and going down on one knee' thing planned. I can totally understand if you just want to pretend this never happened. I thought -"

"Babe, shut up! You're rambling. That isn't helping." As she talked, he looked discouraged by the second. "I mean, I don't need all this." Another glance at him. "This is coming out wrong. I'm gonna cut it short: Yes, I will marry you, you dork." She smiled sheepishly at him.

"Wait, what?!" He was shocked. He hadn't expected this answer, not after blurting it out.

"Do I need to spell it out for you? I accepted your proposal. But, _only_ if you have a ring for me."

Hiccup fumbled in his pocket and pulled with shaking hands his grandmother's ring out of it.

Astrid beamed at him as put it on her ring finger. Then she kissed him.

It felt like the first and best kiss of his life.

* * *

** The big news**

Three years later they were married and living happily together. However, this Valentine's Day it wasn't Hiccup preparing something and shaking with nervousness. No, it was Astrid. She was standing in their kitchen and thinking about how to break the news to her husband.

Pacing their flat, she thought about telling him that he was about to become a _father_. She normally wasn't afraid to speak up to anyone. Why was this so different? Oh, right because she was pregnant and in just about eight short months she would be a _mother_. _Gods_, that thought was so surreal.

If she had been thinking clearly, Astrid wouldn't have been this freaked out. But there were a million thoughts swirling in her head, clouding her judgement.

What was she supposed to do? What if Hiccup didn't want to have the baby? Sure, they'd talked about having children at some point, but _now_? Thor, she wasn't ready to be a mum. She couldn't even cook for herself, how was she supposed to nourish a small, helpless baby that completely depended on her?

Although her mind was racing, the most prominent question on it was if her husband wanted the child or not. _I don't think I could bear it if he doesn't want to have it._

For the moment she focused on how to deliver the news. The woman didn't believe she could tell him face-to-face without starting to cry.

Baking or cooking was definitely off the list. The last time she attempted to make something edible, they all ended in the hospital with food poisoning. _Again_.

Astrid Haddock (she never got tired of hearing that) was snapped back into reality when a black furball curled around her legs. Looking down, she smiled. Toothless always knew when someone needed to be distracted.

"Thank you, Toothless." As she picked him up, he began to purr so loud, one might think he was about to explode.

All of a sudden she knew exactly how she wanted to break the news to her love.

After she scooted the cat off her crossed arms, Astrid put on her warm winter garments and hurried to the next paper shop where she could get greeting cards with motives for Valentine's Day.

Eventually, she obtained everything she needed and hurried home to prepare. Afterward, she dug up Hiccup's art supplies and drew a simple onesie with the inscription "I love my daddy!". In addition, she wrote on the card "Happy Valentine's Day, babe!". Astrid wanted to sign with 'mother of your unborn child' yet, she still intended to leave her husband guessing.

About three Disney movies later, Hiccup came home with grocery bags. "Ast? I feel like Italian today. How do you feel about lasagna?" He poked his head into the living room and totally heard how her stomach growled at the mentioning of lasagna. "I'll take that as a yes." While he made his way to the kitchen, he kept smiling. This was what he had wanted ever since he knew what love was.

Before he started cooking, he asked Astrid if she was feeling better. After all, she wasn't too peachy when he left for work.

Her response consisted only of a curt nod. Not entirely convinced, he still let it slide.

The dinner preparations were followed by setting the table with their nicest plates. They also put the gifts for their respective partner on the table. That meant Astrid's card and like every year, Hiccup put a small box with a big envelope on the table.

"Do want to open up the presents before or after we eat?" Hiccup asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Before, _duh_." She smiled at him. "I go first." He handed her the box first.

Opened up, the box revealed a beautiful charm bracelet with only one charm on it. For now. It was a small heart. Engraved on the backside were their initials. Then he handed her the envelope. As she pulled a paper out of it she realized that he once again drew a portrait of her. This time it was her sleeping in their bed while Toothless nuzzled his head into her cheek. It was the most adorable picture of herself she had ever seen. Due to that, she was beginning to tear up.

Hiccup picked up on that and drew the wrong conclusions: He thought he had made a mistake. "Are you okay? Did I do something wrong? Don't you like it? Of course not, who would like such a ridiculous -" He was cut off by Astrid throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him.

"I love it. _Thank you_." She whispered against his lips. "Now it's your turn."

She gave him her hand-made card.

Hiccup eyed it, then opened it. He stared at it for minutes that seemed endless to Astrid. She was flexing her fingers, biting her lower lip. Anything to distract her.

Finally, he looked up. "Are you for real right now?"

She drank in his face when she nodded: It lit up as if it was Christmas and he a little boy (which he still was in some ways).

In turn, he picked her up, hugged her to him and spun them while laughing. "I'm going to be a dad!"

After he put her on her own two feet again, he cradled her face in his palms and leaned his forehead to hers. "Thank you."

Instead of asking why he was thanking her, she just stood there and memorized this moment. She memorized his facial expressions, the love in his eyes but, most importantly, his infectious childlike joy. And the wonder with whom he looked at her.

_Everything's going to be alright as long as I have this man next to me._

* * *

**A burden lifted**

Decades later, after their kids were born and grew up themselves, Hiccup strolled around their house feeling lonely. It had been over a month after Astrid had passed away. People told him it would get easier over time but he still felt as if someone had cut open his chest and ripped his heart out. Although his children spent time with him, he was dreaming every night of her.

_It had been the fourth day after New Year's Day. Hiccup and Astrid were just enjoying each other's company at the delicate age of 92 years. His wife teased him about the fact that technically he only was 23 years old._

_"You look old for being 23, you know?" She grinned at him._

_"I was born on leap day. It's nothing new." He laughed at her._

_"I know, babe. It's just fun to tease you." The years of being a mother and married to him left their marks. Only on the outside though. Her character never changed and for that, he was eternally grateful. The now grey-haired man didn't think that she would have been able to not try to kill him in his sleep if her personality had changed._

_He smiled. "I love you."_

_"I love you too, you young and handsome man." They looked at each other and laughed._

_That had been the last time they really actually talked since Astrid decided to turn in for an early night. Later on, when he climbed into their bed, bones cracking and aching, she had only stirred a bit._

_He looked at her sleeping form, chest going up and down with every breath, and slipped into sleep comforted by her presence._

_In the morning, he turned around and saw her still laying next to him. Normally, she would be up on her feet already and caught up to date with the world of news, expecting him to join her at the table._

_However, this morning, she didn't move. He said her name, shook her but he never got a response. She was so **still** and **cold**._

_She had left the land of the living overnight._

_She had left him behind, in a world without her to be at his side._

_As the fact sunk in, he could feel his heart shattering to a million pieces and knew he would never see her smile again, or laugh, or even yell. In that moment he would take anything just to see her responsive to his touch and words._

_The next days happened in a blur. Hiccup couldn't remember anything after that up until the funeral. Some people spoke, told stories. Like his kids. They recalled their childhood and the relationship and deep connection their parents shared._

_Hiccup wanted to speak too, wanted to make Astrid proud of him even from the afterlife. He was too choked up to even pronounce proper words to greet people. This was his wife's funeral. How could people expect him to greet associates?_

_What really annoyed him though, were all those people who didn't even know Astrid that well. Those shed tears that Hiccup was seriously questioning whether or not they hid onions in their tissues._

_He, on the other hand, felt a numbness that made everything dull. It was as if Astrid had taken the color with her when she left._

_Only later at night, had the desperation, grief and sadness really hit. It was like a punch to the gut that sent him to the ground and he couldn't come up after it. In their...his bed had he cried the entire night and begged to whoever would listen to relive him of his burden. His burden to live without her._

After searching for something that wasn't there anymore, he lay in bed waiting for sleep to come. One moment to the other, his heart hasn't heavy anymore. It was light.

He turned onto his side and smiled at the space. _My time has come._

He closed his eyes and waited.

When Hiccup opened them again, he wasn't in his house in Berk anymore. He was in a place so beautiful and mesmerizing, he couldn't find the words to describe it.

But he couldn't find even fewer words as a stunning young blonde caught his eye. _Astrid_.

"Hi there, dork." She walked over to him until she was standing in front of him.

"A-Are you _real_?" Honestly, he was afraid of the answer. He wouldn't have been able to deal with a no.

She took his hands and led it to her cheek. Her piercing blue eyes stared into his green ones. "I'm real, babe."

Suddenly, she was in his arms and he was finally feeling complete again.

"I love you." He murmured against the skin of her neck.

His wife pressed a kiss onto his hair. "I love you."

Later, she turned to him and said: "You just _had_ to be romantic, didn't you? You had to come here on Valentine's Day."

He looked down at her. "What can I say? You're my Valentine sweetheart. Always and forever."

After all, they did have all eternity together. And he was planning on making the best out of it.

* * *

I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!

Your IndianSummer1995 ❤💕


End file.
